Sound reproducing apparatus



Sept. 20, 1932.

J. ABASM. ET AL SOUND REPHoDUcING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet Jose/2 3622? COS/9750 j ATTORNEYS I Sept 20 1932- J. BAsn. E1' AL 1,878,806

SOUND REPRODUC ING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR jsey @a5/ BY (s/7770 .gyda/'0770, f/I ff ATTORNEY sion of sound in connection with the Petented Sept. .20, l1932 vc UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH :Basin am) cosmo noNeTonNo, lor nn'rnorr, MICHIGAN SOUND nnrnontrcme APPARATUS Application led December 16, 1930. Serial No. 562,754.

the sound record and wherein the sound is mechanically transmitted in the form of vibrations from the reproducin needle at the record to the diaphragm at t e horn. This connection consists preferably of a link or wire between the needle and the diaphragm, whereby the actual vibrations are transmitted from one to the other without distortion or disposition into a different form of energy.

A further object of the invention is to provide ampliiication of the sound, as may be desirable in theaters. The amplification is also accomplished by simple mechanical means consisting of levers at the needle and diaphragm. By means of these levers the vibrations of the needle are amplified in being delivered to the link connection or in being transmitted from,the link connection to the diaphragm, or amplification at both points 'may be provided as illustrated and described herein.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawings in which-- Figure 1 is a vertical section of a machine constructed according tothe invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section in a plane at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a -plan section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail section of the reproducer at the transmitting end thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a detail section of the reproducer` at the receiving end thereof.

Reference to these views will now be had by use of like characters which are employed to designate the corresponding parts throughout.

In the several figures, the numeral 1 designates the housing of a motion picture machine. The latter comprises a feeding reel 2 and take-up reel 3, the film 4 passing from '23 carried by the latter and received in an one reel to the other being threaded through a gate 5 of an optical system in the usual manner. The mechanism for actuating the reels is conventional and therefore need not be described in detail.

The gate 5 is comprised in an optical system having an electric incandescent lamp 6 as the light source. The lamp originally throws light at an angle to .the direction of projection out of the'housing 1. '.The gate 6l) 5 is included in a light tube 7 adapted to throw light through an aperture 8 in the wall of the housing. Behind the lamp 6 is a reflector 9 connected by means of a cone 10 to the rear end of the tube 7,'as shown more 65 clearly in Fig. 3. The light therefore follows an angular path from the light source 6" to the point of emission, `and because of this construction, the lamp 6 maybe placed at a considerable distance from the film, 70

whereby overheating of the film is avoided.' At the intersection of the parts 7 and 10 is disposed a mirror 11 so positioned as to receive light from the lamp 6 and reflect it in a path parallel to the axis of the tube 7. The

cone is formed with Ventilating apertures ,The bracket 13 which sup orts the reel 3 is formed with an extende arm 14 upon which are erected uprights 15 and 16. The framework 17 supporting the reels is formed with an extension 18 which co-operates with .the members 15 and 16 in supporting the sound record. A shaft 19 is supported by the extension 18. At the outer end of the beam or arm 14 is pivoted an arm 21 carrying a supporting point 22 for the free end of the shaft. The arm 21 may be set with reference to the parts 14 and 16 by means of a clamp arcuate slot 24 formed in the 1nember'21. A mandrel 25 adapted to carry a cylindrical record 26 is rotatably mountedon the shaft 19. The mandrel is propelled to turn the record by means of a train of gearing 27 operatively connecting an extension 25 of the mandrel to the film sprocket 28 in the film feeding I mechanism. The member 25 is formed with a key 20 receivable in a notch 20 in the record, 10

-to aid in startingk the latter in synchronism with the film.

Inthe uprights and 16 are also mounted a guide rod29 and a rotary feed screw 30 parallel to the axis of the mandrel when the latter is v in operative position. The screw/.is lgearedto the train of gearin `27 by another train of gearing 27. A'ca'rriage 31 is slidably mounted on the guide rod 29, and integral with orsecured to the carriage is a nut 32 threaded on the screw 30.

From the carriage 31 extends an arm 33 as shown more clearly in Fig. 5. The lower end of the arm carries an inverted cup 34 in which is pivotally mounted a lever 35 on a fu'lcrum 36 at one end thereof. To the other end of the lever is pivotally attached a wirex 37 for a purpose which will presently appear. The wire passes through a stufiing box 38 on the cup 34. The lever 35 has an anOular branch 39 adapted to hold the repr ucer needle 40 engaging th record 26 at the proper angle.

At a remote point within the housing 1 is supported a horn' 41, the mouth of which opens through the front wall of the housing as shown more clearly in Fig. 1... The intake end of the horn is in the form of a restricted throat 42 as illustrated in Fig. 4. Adjacent this end is a. supporting bracket 43 Secured to a wall of the housing and formed at its free end with a hollow portion or box 44 for a purpose which will presently appear. The extremity of the throat 42 carries a cap 45 secured upon the boxv as a cover by means of screws 46. Thus, the bracket 43 serves to support the restricted end of the horn, the other end or mouth thereof being supported in the housing 1.

Between the box 44 and its cover 45 is clamped a diaphragm 47, also held by the screws 46. lVithin the box is pivotally mounted a vibrating arm 48 in the form of a lever having its fulcrum 49 intermediate its ends. To the power end 50 of the lever is pivotally connected the remaining end of the wire 37 after passing through a stufiing box 51 carried by the box 40. The work end 52 of the lever is turned upwardly and attached to the center of the diaphragm as indicated by the numeral 53. .Thus, the movements imparted to the lever at the power end are amplified inthe diaphragm according to the ratio of the distances from the fulcrum 49 to the ends of the lever.

The box 44 has a vent 54 to permit unimpeded movements of the diaphragm. It

l are driven from the same motive force.

The spacing ,of the-horn from the reproducing needle 40 is merely representative of spacing to any extent, for example, from the i record in the projection machine to a horn positioned near the stage of a theater. In

any case, the reproducing needle is connected to the diaphragm of the horn by means of a wire which transmits the vibrations of the needle to the diaphragm. p

Another function accomplished by the present invention is the mechanical amplication of sound from the needle ofthe diaphragm. The vibrations are first amplified between the needle 40 and the wire 37 according to the ratio of distances from the fulcrum 36 of the lever 35 to the branch 39 and the free end of the lever. lFurther amplification i-s obtained from the wire 37 to the diaphragm 47 through the lever `48 'in the manner already described. i

It will be evident that the amplifying function of the device is particularly useful in theaters where amplification of the sound between the record and horn is obviously necessary. A

Although a specific embodiment of theinvention has been illustrated, and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

What we claim is In a sound reproducing machine, a rotary record support, a r roducer arm adapted to travel over a recor on said support, a lever pivoted to said arm, a horn spaced from said arm, a diaphragmsupported at the throat of said horn, means on said lever for supporting a reproducer needle, another lever pivoted adjacent said diaphragm` and having one end connected thereto, a link connection between said levers, the distance from the fulcrum of the first named lever to said means being less than the distance to the link connection, and the distance from the ulcrum of the second named lever to said diaphragm being greater than the distance to said link connection.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

JOSEPH BASIL. COSIMO BONGIORNO.

is started for projecting the film and reproducing the accompanying sound record, the 

